The Ig Noble Awards Return to Honor Weird Science

The irreverent celebration of weird and wacky science is back in the form of this year’s Ig Nobel Prize ceremony. Honorees are picked for their ability to make people laugh first and think later.

You might remember that last year’s physics prize went to a team in Japan that measured friction between a shoe and a banana peel, and between a banana peel and the floor. Meanwhile, the neuroscience prize was snagged by researchers who investigated the phenomenon of seeing Jesus in toast.

Much of the science is very real, although the ceremony itself — officially known as “the 25th First Annual Ig® Nobel Prize Ceremony & Lectures” — prioritizes fun above all else.

There will be music and entertainment and “24/7” lectures, where an expert has 24 seconds to give a technical description of their topic of study and then provide seven words for a clear summary of his or her research. This year’s topics include firefly sex and internet cat videos.

The whole thing kicks off at 6 p.m. Eastern time tonight (September 17, 2015) at Harvard University’s Sanders Theater and on the webs. Tune in 20 minutes early for a kick-off concert. You can also join the conversation on Twitter at #IgNobel.

Here’s the live stream:

Not so into awards ceremonies? Hate how award recipients drone on and on? The Ig Nobels figured out how to inject some weird fun into that, too. If you take too long, eight-year-old Miss Sweetie Poo will announce that she is bored, and it’s time for you to leave the stage.